[Alex McWhirter]

The news has just been announced from the US end of the route

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/07/25/1542052/0/en/BRITISH-AIRWAYS-ANNOUNCES-FLIGHTS-BETWEEN-PITTSBURGH-AND-LONDON.html

For once BA is saying, correctly, that it’s non-stop rather than “direct” as it has been doing for some time already.

[MartynSinclair]

Interesting sentence within the press release:

“British Airways is investing millions of dollars in the customer experience on the ground and in the air, with a new Club World seat next year so this is a great time to launch this service”.

… but not on this route… so what is the relevance…why is it a great time to launch this service???

[AlanOrton1]

There maybe a little more than meets the eye with this one.

Pittsburgh is an AA ‘focus city’ (was a US Air hub back in the day). As a result there could be some feeder traffic for this route.

US Air did use to fly this route themselves but terminated it around the time they downgraded their operations at this airport.

I guess the blather about the J seat relates to the new one to be found on the A350 as and when it is introduced?!

[Jackophil]

We used to serve Pittsburg years ago via at various times Washington, Philadelphia and Montreal, if my memory serves me well. I vaguely remember flying a Montreal – Pittsburg ‘shuttle’ once in the depths of winter, with heavy snow at both airports. It was a demanding days work. It’s nice to see BA going back there again.

[FDOS_UK]

Wow – innovation from BA.

Great to see the airline supporting British business, by pioneering an emerging market route.

[AisleSeatTraveller]

surely a better use of the slot would be Hanoi / Saigon (HCMC)

[greyhawkgeoff]

re Aisle Seat Traveller – in short yield. Vietnam Airways have the routes to themselves since starting some 5 years back ex Gatwick initially and I suspect ut will stay that way for a long time.

I have an associate who travel Heathrow/Hanoi at least 4 times a year on business but also to see family in Haiphong. As a Vietnamese he converses( a lot) with fellow passengers and the basic reason for flying direct on Vietnam Airways is always price, price and price. Their daily 787-9’s are configured 28.35.211 in J.W.Y, and thus a lot less premium than BA’s 787-8 for PIT which are 35.25.154 (their 787-9 are 8.42.39.127). Indeed he will take long ways round at the cost of 12+ hours to save money via KL, Singapore or Hong Kong, anywhere except Mainland China!

PIT is a modest AA center with flights to 8 or so of their hubs in the US and AA is the second most used airline with a 26% market share there just behind Southwest. So long as there is not too much abstraction of travellers via other AA hubs the route should prosper. The schedule is very connection favorable at LHR for travel on/from Europe and elsewhere and perhaps BA have sewn up the Heinz Co on a contract. PIT is similar in size to Austin with an 8 million passenger thru put a year, and that BA route has prospered from the initial 787-8 to 747 this summer and 777-300 this coming winter. No doubt some data nerd in Waterside got a bonus.
,

[Alex McWhirter]

Other factors to consider are:

* Utilisation. PIT makes better use of aircraft time than does a route to Vietnam.

* Potential for connecting traffic at both ends of the route.

* Generous incentives. It’s reported in Pittsburgh that the state (Pennsylvania) has provided BA with funding over two years for this new service. Would Vietnam be so generous ?

[MarkivJ]

Extremely happy to hear this news. I suspect Indianapolis is next on the list!

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